46 TIME January 31/February 7, 2022
BEIJING
2022Kamila Valieva
FIGURE SKATING, RUSSIAN
OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
Each time Kamila
Valieva steps on the ice,
she shatters records.
The 15-year-old Rus-
sian fi gure- skating
champion combines
a balletic style with
ATHLETES
TO WATCH
FROM TEEN SKATING PHENOMS TO THE “USAIN BOLT OM TEEN SKATING PHENOMS TO THE “USAIN BOL
OF CROSS-COUNTRY,” THESE OL” THESE OLYMPIANS ARE
POISED TO SOAR ON THE ICE AND SNOW IN BEIJINGPOISED TO SOAR ON THE ICE AND SNOW IN BEIJING
technical mastery of echnicalmasteryof
the most challenging
jumps —which she
performs with her
arms high above her
head, making the rota-
tions more diffi cult to
control upon landing,
thus earning her extra
points in a sport in
which every degree
of diffi culty matters.
Valieva holds the record
for the highest scores
recorded in women’s
skating under the cur-
rent judging system,
which she could break
yet again in Beijing.
There, Valieva’s
stiffest competitionis likely to come from is likely to come from omefrom
teammates Alexandra teammates Alexandra Alexandra
Trusova and Anna Trusova and Anna Trusova and Anna na
SShcherbakova, both Shcherbakova, both oth
17 17; the Russian squad 17; the Russian squad quad
coulcould sweep the med-could sweep the med-ed-
als.als. All three train with als. All three train with A th
EteriEteri Tutberidze in Mos-Eteri Tutberidze in Mos-Tu s-
cow,cow, and Valieva has an
saidsaid the atmosphere the
atat the rink drives her therink
toto push herself harder pushhe
asas one skater after the oneska
otherother fl ies off the ice flieso
withwith quad quad jumps. “You j
can’tcan’t just stay on the justst
sidelines,”sidelines,” she recently s
toldtold the Olympic theOly
Channel.Channel. “Rivalry is “R
alwaysalways good, in all goo
sports.”sports.” ——Alice ParkErin Jackson
SPEEDSKATING, U.S.After Erin Jackson, the
top-ranked women’s top-ranked women’s
500-m speedskater in 500-m speedskater in
the world, slipped on the world, slipped on
the ice at the U.S. Olym-the ice at the U.S. Olym-
pic trials in Milwaukee pic trials in Milwaukee
on Jan. 7, her Olympic on Jan. 7, her Olympic
hopes seemed shat-hopes seemed shat-
tered. Earlier in the sea-tered. Earlier in the sea-
son, Jackson became son, Jackson became
the fi rst Black Ameri-the fi rst Black Ameri-
can woman to win a can woman to win a
long-track World Cup long-track World Cup
race; she’s won four race; she’s won four
World Cup gold medals World Cup gold medals
this season. Jackson’s this season. Jackson’s
absence would have absence would have
robbed the U.S. of a robbed the U.S. of a
medal favorite—and medal favorite—and
the Beijing Games of a the Beijing Games of a
potential breakout star. potential breakout star.
“World No. 1 speed “World No. 1 speed
skater Erin Jackson to skater Erin Jackson to
miss Olympics after miss Olympics after
slip at U.S. trials,” slip at U.S. trials,”
read one headline. read one headline.
Which, it turns out, Which, it turns out,
was wrong. Luckily for was wrong. Luckily for
Jackson, a longtime Jackson, a longtime
friend sympathized—friend sympathized—
and did something and did something
extraordinary. extraordinary.
Three-time Olympian Three-time Olympian
Brittany Bowe, who Brittany Bowe, who
like Jackson grew up like Jackson grew up
as an inline skater in as an inline skater in
Ocala, Fla., had qualifi ed Ocala, Fla., had qualifi ed
at her strongest at her strongestdistances distances —1,000 m —1,000 m
and 1,500 m—as and 1,500 m—as
well as 500 m. So well as 500 m. So
Bowe relinquished Bowe relinquished
her 500-m spot. “First her 500-m spot. “First
and foremost, Erin and foremost, Erin
has earned her right has earned her right
to be on this 500-m to be on this 500-m
team,” Bowe said. “No team,” Bowe said. “No
one’s more deserving one’s more deserving
than her to get an than her to get an
opportunity to bring opportunity to bring
home a medal.” While home a medal.” While
this wasn’t the way she this wasn’t the way she
expected to qualify, a expected to qualify, a
thankful Jackson has thankful Jackson has
promised to be the promised to be the
loudest voice in the loudest voice in the
oval cheering Bowe oval cheering Bowe
during her races. “I’ve during her races. “I’ve
looked up to Brittany looked up to Brittany
ever since I was a kid,” ever since I was a kid,”
Jackson has said. And Jackson has said. And
with that, the Beijing with that, the Beijing
Olympics had its fi rst Olympics had its fi rst
feel-good tale.feel-good tale.
Jackson has called Jackson has called
inline skating her “fi rst inline skating her “fi rst
love,” and she’s also love,” and she’s also
competed in roller competed in roller
derby; she was the U.S. derby; she was the U.S.
Olympic Committee’s Olympic Committee’s
female Athlete of the female Athlete of the
Year for roller sports in Year for roller sports in
2012, 2013 and 2015. 2012, 2013 and 2015.
But those pursuits But those pursuits
have no Olympics. So have no Olympics. So
she turned to the ice. she turned to the ice.
Just four months after Just four months after
committing herself to committing herself to
training, when she was training, when she was
25, Jackson qualifi ed 25, Jackson qualifi edDavid Wise
FREESTYLE SKIING, U.S.
An avid hunter and
fatherfather of two young kids father of two young kids oftwoyoungki
(ages(ages 9 and 6), David (ages 9 and 6), David (ages 9 and 6), David 9 a
Wise is the only half-Wise is the only half-
pipe skiing gold medal-pipe skiing gold medal-
ist the Olympics have ist the Olympics have
ever known: he stood ever known: he stood ever known: he stood od
atopatop the podium in the atop the podium in the atop the podium in the thepodiuminthe
event’s 2014 debut in
Sochi and four years
later in PyeongChang.
“How cool it would be
to have a career where I
won three Olympic gold
medals in a row,” Wise
saidsaid in October. “I don’t inOctober.“Idon’
feelfeel any pressure to anypressureto
dodo that. But man, that that.Butman
wouldwould be cool.”becool
WiseWise raises r animals
onon his farm in Reno, his
NNev., and relishes
push push ing his limits ing his limits
beyond the typical beyond the typical beyond the typical al
training regimen. training regimen. training regimen. men.
He recently told NBC-He recently told NBC-He recently told NBC-ntlytoldNBC-
Olympics.com that the Olympics.com that the lympics.comthatthe
most grueling workout
he’s ever done was a“seven“seven-day solo moose “seven-day solo moose se
hunthunt in grizzly-bear i
councountry in Alaska,”
aa quest that seems to a quest that seems to q sto
hhave helped him: Wise have helped him: Wise Wise
and U.S. teammate and U.S. teammate and U.S. teammate mate
Alex Ferreira fi nished Alex Ferreira fi nished Alex Ferreira fi nished nished
fi rst and second in fi rst and second in fi rst and second in ondin
PyeongChang, and PyeongChang, and ang,and
should duel for gold should duel for gold duelforgold
yet again in Beijing. yet again in Beijing. gaininBeijing.
“I’m still in a state in “I’m still in a state in mstillinastatein
mymy career where I’m careerwhereI’m
trying to fi nd what the
limits are for what
I can do on a pair of
skis,” Wise says. His
relentless quest to fi nd
out could lead to yet
another Olympic gold.
—S.G.technical mastery of
the most challenging
jumps —which she
performs with her
arms high above her
head, making the rota-
tions more diffi cult toa balletic style with
David Wise
FREESTYLE SKIING, U.S.
event’s 2014 debut in
Sochi and four years
later in PyeongChang.
“How cool it would be
to have a career where I
won three Olympic gold
medals in a row,” Wise
said in October. “I don’tKamila Valieva
AATT HH LL EE TT EE S S
TT OO W WAATT CC HH
Erin JacksonErin Jackson
DDDDDavid Wavid Wavid Wavid Wavid Wiseiseiseiseise